KAZAKHSTAN TO TACKLE KARABAKH PROBLEM AS OSCE CHAIRMAN – ENVOY

Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency
July 4 2008

Baku, 4 July: Kazakhstan intends to take measures to resolve the
Karabakh conflict during its chairmanship of the OSCE, the ambassador
of Kazakhstan [to Azerbaijan], Serik Primbetov, has said.

"Kazakhstan has been elected to take the presidency of the OSCE in
2010, and the country will make efforts during this time to resolve
the conflict. This is a complicated problem and we are thinking
and worrying about it," Primbetov said at a news conference in Baku
[Azeri capital] today.

He said that the conflicting sides should avoid campaigns on slandering
each other and prevent outbreaks of nationalism.

"I think that some time is needed to resolve the problem. The people
of Azerbaijan and Armenia have lived for centuries side by side and
will further continue to do so; there is no other choice.

"It is not allowed to slander each other and blame the people. The
peoples are not guilty, politicians are guilty," the diplomat said.

He said that liberation of seven occupied districts of Azerbaijan
around Nagornyy Karabakh (NK) would create a favorable atmosphere
between the two nations and promote negotiations on NK’s further
destiny.

Primbetov also stressed the efficiency of holding direct negotiations
between the conflicting sides without participation of third parties.